= “ MEANINGS OF MODAL VERBS Here is a quick reference to the meanings of modal verbs. For basic grammar information, see Unit 3, Overviews for key difficulties with meaning, see the Watch out!, Unit 4, p.63. Modal Meaning / Use Example - can ability Can you play the piano? theoretical possibility Anyone cam make a mistake. permission Can I eave carly, please? requests an you give me a hand? offers Can [help you out? can't! cannot inability 1 ean’t play the plane possibility Can't you come any earlier? (= isn’t it possible) prohibition You can't leave until I say so. deduction ‘This bill can't be right. can't have deduction She's gone to the wrong door ~ she ean’t have seen the sign. could past ability — ‘The shop had nothing that I could afford possibility ‘There could be trouble ifthe government trics to force this measure through, requests Could you give me a hand? asking for permission Could I leave a bit early today? permission in the past Whew I was young, I could stay up late at weekends if I promised to be good. deduction That could be Johw’s car I cam hear ~ he said he was coming. idiomatic You could at last tll me what they said (= | think you should...) couldn't past inability couldn't wail nil Iwas nearly wo, impossibility couldn't eat another thing! requests Couldn't you try again? prohibition in the past My mum used to insist that we couldn’t go out until we'd tied our bedroom deduction 1 couldn't be joe, could i? I thought he was away on business idiomatic couldn't agree more! (= 1 strongly agree) could have possiblity in the past Your actions could have had serious consequences annoyance You could have told me! (= I wish you had told me) 1 could have murdered him! (= I was very angry with him) couldn't have impossibility in the past He eouldn’t have taken your car by mistake because he didn’t have the key idiomatie It couldn’t have becn beter. (= It was perfect) may possibility We may go to France next year expressing hopes ‘May you both be very happy. permission You may go when you've finished offers May Ibe of any assistance? concession They may lve next door but we hardly ever se them may not possibility We may not goto France this year prohibition You may not go until you've finished concession may not be very intelligent but I can work out the answer to that question. may have/ possibility inthe past They may not have left yet. may not have concession “He may have written books on the subject, but that doesn't mean he's a world expert.Modal ‘might might not might have might not have Meaning / Use ‘We use might as the past form of may after Past tense verbs possibility suggestions requests annoyance concession ‘We use might not as the past form of may not afier Past tense verbs possibility concession possibility in the past annoyance concession possibility in the past MEANINGS OF MODAL VERBS Example He said he might come with us ‘This expedition might be quite dangerous You might try phoning directory enquiries. ‘Might I borrow some money? You might at least say you're sorry! He might scem rude, but he's not realy He said he might not come with us You might not like it. He might not wear glasses, but his eyesight is not perfect either. They might have been trying to contact ws. You might have told me! (= I wish you'd told me) ‘She might have worked hard, but you wouldn't know it from her results. They might not have noticed the sir. ‘Ske might not have done all the work, but she certainly got good results mustn't must have mustn't have ‘shall shan’t shalt | shaw’t have deduction obligation necessity prohibition deduction in the past necessity in the past necessity in the past prediction (rand we) intention (J and we) offers (I and we) official orders asking for advice prediction prediction What's that noise? It must be raining, You must take your shoes off in here ‘The wires must touch or it won't work, You mustn’t worry — you'll be fine 1 must have lft my wale i the car. Im oer to qualify for the oh you must have had several years pericnce Yon mustn't have had ay driving conviction or you won’ et the job Tiki we shall back early went weeks — - We shall give our final decision tomorrow Shall give you a hand? All the candidates shall remain in ter seats wnt the end of the examination What shall we do now? We shan't get back much before ten. I shan’t let him do that again, We shall have finished by this evening. (= Future Perfect) We shan’t have another opportunity if we don’t win today. (continued) 6sModal should / ought to shouldn't / oughtn’t to should have / shouldn't have / ‘ought to have oughtn’t to have will won't will have / won't have Meaning / Use (those uses marked * are also appropriate to ought t0) giving your opinion* expressing doubt advice" ‘obligation* (duty) instructions conditional (see Unit 5, Section 3.4) with that-clauses alter certain verbs with that-clauses after adjectives in purpose clauses expressing doubt (those uses marked * are also appropriate to oughtn’t to) advice" obligation* (duty) giving your opinion* ‘with thar-clauses after certain verbs expressing doubt advice in the past giving your opinion* about the past expressing doubt about the past ‘bligation* (duty) in the past with that-clauses after certain verbs prediction predicting the present truths and facts obligation / orders habits annoying habits willingness intention prediction predicting the present truths and facts refusal intention prediction predicting the past Example ‘The traffic should / ought to be lighter today. I should think it will rain today. You should / ought to go out more often. People should / ought to treat each other better. All visitors should report to reception. Ifanyone should phone / Should anyone phone, tell them TIL be back this afternoon. 1 suggested that he should take a break, In is essential that you should contact us ‘They spoke quietly so that nobody should hear what they were saying, You shouldn't /oughtn’t to drive so fast. People shouldn’t / oughta’t to be so aggressive. ‘The traffic shouldn’t / oughtn’t to be to0 bad today. 1 suggested that he shouldn't work so hard. 1 shouldn’t think he'd enjoy t. You should have told me before. ‘The traffic should have / ought to have been lighter earlier today, 1 shouldn’t have thought he'd have enjoyed it You should have / ought to have been there hows ago. ‘They shouldn't have driven so fast. 1 suggested that he should have taken a break, They'll be here soon, ‘They'll be there by now This car will only run on unleaded petrol, All passengers will proceed to Gate 7 immediately. She'll always try to help you whenever she can. He will smoke when I'm trying to eat. PU give you a hand if you tie. PUL put the letter i the post this evening "They won't be here for a while ‘They won't be there yet. ‘This car won't start. He won't join in unless he's first. I won't come this evening, P'm afraid. won't have finished this book by this evening. They'll have easily got there by now.Modal would wouldn't would have / ‘wouldn't have Meaning / Use prediction predicting the present describing imaginary situations (For would in conditionals and after ‘wish, see Unit 5, Sections 3.3, 4.2.) habits in the past annoying habits in the past requests intention in the past (we use would as the past form of will, e.g. in reported speech) typical (annoying) behaviour advice prediction predicting the present describing imaginary situations refusal in the past requests intention in the past (we use wouldn't as the past form of won't, e.g. in reported speech) advice events in the past which didn’t happen cor which did happen tentative thoughts deductions in the past (we use would / wouldn't have as the ast form of will /won't have, ¢.g. in reported speech after Past tense verbs) Example They said they would be here soon. thought they'd he there by now You'd look better with your hair shorter. ‘She would always try to help you. He would smoke when I was trying to eat Would you open the door for me? He said he'd put the leticr in the post later 1 would start raining just as we went owt Pd talk to him about ssf I were you. They said they wouldn’t be here for ages. thought they wouldn't be here yet. You wouldn’t say that if you'd met kim. He wouldn’t do what I aske. You wouldn’t open the door for me, would you? He said he wouldn’t be coming tonight. Tswouldn’t do that if T were you Fd have met you at the station if Fa known you were coming Twouldn’t have told you if Id known you'd be so upset. Td have thought he'd have jumped at the chance. L first went to Italy when I was at University; that would have been in 1982, He promised he would have posted it before five o'clock o